Hello,
I'm 30 year old male that just started to swim again with consistency and motivation. It's been 15 years since I swum competitively. I used to be very strong, competitive swimmer through early high school and then one day I just stopped to focus on my academics. One of the biggest mistakes and regrets of my life.
Just completed 2 mile swim in a time I'm happy with so I just joined Masters again after a brief failed bout in 2009. I am looking to become competitive again, but I have been out of it so long I don't know how much time and commitment is required. I work full time and getting a Master's degree in the evenings. Wife and I are looking to starting a family soon too.
So far I've committed an hour a day for swimming and triathlon related training. Are any of you in situations with busy life schedules that have been able to successfully carve time and effort towards competitive swimming? Any tips for someone trying to get back into it after a long time?
Thanks
I, too, was in similar situation when I came back to swimming in 2008, and my schedule has gotten more hectic. As such, I never joined a team and have prepared mainly for open water. Not joining a team (I can't consistently make pre-scheduled team practices) has allowed me to flex my committed time as needed when work and dad chauffeur schedule demands. I usually target working out an average of 4-5X week with most workouts 50 minutes to an hour often with a longer work out on Saturday mornings. It's been fantastic, and I've been able to maintain motivation and training and competition goals.
Even without being on a team, I find I could register for and participate in pool meets. I just haven't wanted to yet and have stuck to open water events of which I do about six a year.
When a family comes into play it gets even harder, and that's why I've chosen the flexibility of training solo. Sometimes I train at 5 am, sometimes over lunch, and a my metro membership at the Y gives me plenty of pool options to slip in a swim in a break in schedule.
My last recommendation is to be ready to adjust on the fly. If my schedule only allows a half hour, I find it better to get that 2000 yards in than skip altogether.
I, too, was in similar situation when I came back to swimming in 2008, and my schedule has gotten more hectic. As such, I never joined a team and have prepared mainly for open water. Not joining a team (I can't consistently make pre-scheduled team practices) has allowed me to flex my committed time as needed when work and dad chauffeur schedule demands. I usually target working out an average of 4-5X week with most workouts 50 minutes to an hour often with a longer work out on Saturday mornings. It's been fantastic, and I've been able to maintain motivation and training and competition goals.
Even without being on a team, I find I could register for and participate in pool meets. I just haven't wanted to yet and have stuck to open water events of which I do about six a year.
When a family comes into play it gets even harder, and that's why I've chosen the flexibility of training solo. Sometimes I train at 5 am, sometimes over lunch, and a my metro membership at the Y gives me plenty of pool options to slip in a swim in a break in schedule.
My last recommendation is to be ready to adjust on the fly. If my schedule only allows a half hour, I find it better to get that 2000 yards in than skip altogether.
